Ann Harding Needs to be Drowned Out

While Madame Sylvia was under contract to Pathe studios, she was housed in a stucco shack. It was affectionately called "The Torture Chamber" (for obvious reasons).

Actress Ann Harding is one of the reasons the building was christened "The Torture Chamber". Ann's husband Harry Bannister would be present at all of Ann's treatments to help out. Ann was much more vocal than any of Madame Sylvia's other clients when she was receiving her massage treatment.

Harry Bannister and Ann Harding

Ann's husband Harry would stand outside the "Torture Chamber" and smoke nervously. He would come in and make Sylvia stop the massage if he heard Ann cry out.

Ann Harding's screaming bothered everyone who walked by or had offices near the "Torture Chamber". Because of this, a radio with a loudspeaker had to be installed in the shack to drown out poor Ann's screams. The things we do for beauty!

Up next: Alan Hale needs help getting in his britches

Joe Kennedy issues our Madame Sylvia a Test

Madame Sylvia, our masseuse to the stars, was offered $750 a week by Joe Kennedy to work exclusively for Pathe (basically to take care of Gloria Swanson), others at Pathe studio if Gloria didn't need her, and anyone else if there was time.

Joe Kennedy in the 1920s

Before Joe Kennedy would sign the contract, Madame Sylvia was given a test. The test - find out what Joe Kennedy's physical problem was without being told by anyone. Sylvia was allowed to use her massage magic to find the answer - but nothing else.

Gloria Swanson and Joe Kennedy





Thankfully, Madame Sylvia prevailed. Joe Kennedy had flat feet.




Gloria Swanson and Joe Kennedy's Love Nest

Once Sylvia passed the test, Joe Kennedy bragged about her massages. Other executives at Pathe wanted to use her services. The executives used so much of Sylvia's time that Helen Twelvetrees, Carole Lombard, Ilka Chase, and even Gloria Swanson had to wait til late in the evening before they could get a massage!

Gloria Swanson

Up next: Ann Harding enters "The Torture Chamber"

Carmel Myers' Chauffer gets her in hot water with a Swanson and a Kennedy

Madame Sylvia had quite a juicy bit of gossip about silent star Carmel Myers (April 4, 1899 - November 4, 1980) in Hollywood Undressed. Carmel was quite famous in the silent era, but like many others, did not transition well to sound. Not because her voice didn't sound nice, but she just faded into minor parts. She is probably best known for her role as Iras opposite Ramon Novarro in Ben Hur (1925).

Gloria Swanson is top dog

In 1929, Madame Sylvia was under contract to Pathe. She was in charge of taking care of Gloria Swanson, Ina Claire, Grace Moore, and Constance Bennett.. Under her Pathe contract, Gloria got first dibs on Sylvia's services - everyone else had to work around it. During this time, Ina Claire's old beau, Gene Markey, started seeing Gloria Swanson in order to make Ina mad. Instead of Ina Claire becoming mad at Gloria, she became mad at Sylvia and stopped seeing her.


For info on Ina Claire, check out:
http://flapperdays.blogspot.com/2009/11/basil-rathbones-masquerade-leads-to-ina.html
http://flapperdays.blogspot.com/2009/11/ina-claire-and-alice-white-catfight.html

On a side note, Sylvia gave a pretty disgusting overview of the Hollywood hierarchy she observed while working at Pathe in Hollywood Undressed:

"In Hollywood you can high-hat some, and you can't high-hat others. On the lot you can high-hat writers, dialogue directors, the man who takes orders for custom-made shirts, people who act in Westerns, and Spaniards" (Hollywood Undressed, Page 105).

I'm not sure if that says more about Madame Sylvia, or the times in which she lived.

Up next, Carmel Myers gets on the wrong side of Gloria Swanson.